You're probably thinking to yourself, "Yeah, all your advice is fine and dandy, but I want to
know how you pick your sportsbook." And if you weren't thinking that, well,
you're thinking it now. Either way, I give you the checklist of the pros.
Sportsbooks Wager Factor
Unfortunately, there isn't one cure-all
sportsbook. It's good to have at least
one
sportsbook with a unique
wager type, such as
"in-game
betting," and at least one with high
wager limits.
However, any more than three
sportsbooks is probably not a good idea
strictly from a sanity and self control standpoint. It's like having ten butlers in a two bedroom
house. It sounds like a good idea, but eventually they'll just start smashing into each other and
showing up in the shower.
Sportsbooks Odds
While most sites tend to be relatively close to Vegas, sometimes slight changes may be the
difference in a cover or loss. Usually newer sites will tend to skew the
line in
favor of the favorite in hopes of more business, which might be good or bad depending on who
you think will cover. For the most part, however, we find little value in obsessing over the
line differences. Diversifying will almost always ensure you can take the best
line.
Sportsbook Navigation
This is a standard not all for
online gambling sites, but all web sites, city
streets and supermarket lines. When you're planning to invest 4,343,927 hours on a particular
hobby, the last thing you want is a site that makes navigating as difficult as being a pair of Star
Jones' shoes. Which makes you wonder, what are those shoes made of? Titanium? I'm not
sure, but I think it's the same technology they use in earthquake-proof skyscrapers.
Sportsbook Bonuses
Anything that provides a consistent reload or specialty
bonus, as in 5% on
Thursday deposits and Friday half juice. We treat this
gambling thing like a
steady girlfriend, not a one night stand and
bonuses are no different.
Sportsbook Scam Care
Research, research, then more research. We usually channel Terrell Owen's gay-dar and use
the "smells like a rat test." Some smelly things include insanely high
bonuses,
crazy odds and any body part following the word "Roseanne's."
Sportsbook Customer Service
Probably the least important factor in selecting a
sportsbook, but the most
important factor in staying with one. After all, no one cares about customer service until you're
the one with the problem. It's also the hardest to gauge when you sign up for a
sportsbook because everyone is nice when they're trying to get your
business. It's like the guy in the shoe store who asks you "How are you doing?" when you're in
the store, but does he care when your shoe falls apart on the court and your ankle goes Grant
Hill on you? I don't think so. How are you doing indeed.
